Hutchinson city manager criticizes tax lid in State of the City address

Despite cracking jokes about his bowling, city government and street construction, Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff got serious about the state-imposed property tax lid on local governments during his State of the City address Tuesday morning.

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Starting in 2018, the tax lid will require a referendum when local government wants to increase the amount received through property taxes by more than the rate of inflation. Deardoff questioned what would have happened at the state level if it needed a referendum for its tax hike.

Deardoff said the city will learn to work within those limits, though, because it doesn’t have a choice.

Before criticizing the tax lid, though, Deardoff started his speech with some prop comedy, pulling out a pair of traffic cones for familiarity’s sake.

“2015 has been the year of the orange cone,” he said, with major work on Main and Waldron streets and 30th Avenue.